As the festive season slowly creeps up on us, the question that agencies should be concerning themselves with is, “what makes for a memorable ad?” We used TubeRank, VAN’s viral planning tool, to analyse some of the most popular festive themed YouTube videos and top ad campaigns from Christmases past, to find out what made them so successful.

1. SOCIAL VIDEO INSIGHT REPORT
Christmas Video Trends // October ’13

2. INTRO
Welcome to VAN’s insight report. This month we’re looking at festive trends in the sphere of Christmas
ad campaigns and UGC videos.
This document is comprised of:
• Brand insights
• Viral ad campaign case studies
• UGC insights
Our social video insights are collated with the help of our TubeRank app.
Image: Flickr Ken Wilcox

3. BRAND TRENDS: CHRISTMAS AD CAMPAIGNS
Key brand observations
Humour, originality and keeping it real...
Marketers seem to be promoting Christmas earlier and earlier every year.
Recent research from Experian Marketing has predicted that nearly 50% of
retailers are expected to launch their Christmas campaigns before
Halloween, with the majority of others releasing theirs in the first two weeks
of November.
As the festive season slowly creeps up on us, the question that agencies
should be concerning themselves with is, “what makes for a memorable ad?”
Let’s face it, Christmas campaigns can often be a clichéd pile of stereotypes;
packed full of frantic shopping sprees, perfect dinner parties, fake snow and
sparkles. Finding a fresh angle amongst this well trodden path can be
difficult. There’s no secret formula for yuletide marketing success but there
are a few key ingredients that can help a campaign on its way to capturing
that coveted seasonal magic.
Source Flickr: Msenese
We used TubeRank, VAN’s viral planning tool, to analyse some of the most
popular ads from Christmases past and break down the main viral triggers
and conversation points that made them so successful.
SOCIAL VIDEO INSIGHT REPORT - Christmas Video Trends // October ’13
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4. CASE STUDIES: THE POWER OF STORYTELLING
Shares: 131,158 | Views: 3,424,707
SHARE-TO-VIEW RATIO = 1:26
John Lewis - The Journey
In recent years, John Lewis’ Christmas ads have come to set a new standard for
seasonal campaigns. Last year’s TV spot was widely acclaimed to be the most
popular ad of 2012, turning the nation all misty eyed over a magical winter love
story.
The 6 million pound commercial follows the epic journey of a love struck snowman
as he goes in search of the perfect Christmas gift. Transporting the audience into a
fantasy world where he scales mountains and crosses rivers to reach the city,
before finally returning home with a new hat and gloves for his snow lady girlfriend,
(aawww!)
COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST:
Music
Film
Pop
culture
CONVERSATION TRIGGERS:
Fashion
Set to the soundtrack of a heart warming remix of Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s ‘The
Power Of Love’, and packed full of stunning cinematography, it cleverly uses music
to build the emotion of the scene, making for a video that’s genuinely beautiful to
watch. However, what sets the ad aside from many of its contemporaries is that fact
that it actually tells a story. Moving away from the realities of Christmas shopping by
leading viewers on an escapist adventure, with not a product placement in sight
(except for the snow couple’s little hats and scarfs).
The feel good ending subtly conveys the feeling of Christmas without shoving it
down your throat, making for a moving piece that tugs on the heartstrings and
motivates people to share.
SOCIAL VIDEO INSIGHT REPORT - Christmas Video Trends // October ’13
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5. CASE STUDIES: NOSTALGIA AND A WELL WORN PAIR OF SLIPPERS
Shares: 7,458 | Views: 166,617
SHARE-TO-VIEW RATIO = 1:22
Coca-Cola - Holidays Are Coming
There’s a lot to be said about the impact of fresh new ideas and original content in
advertising. But when it comes to Christmas, much of the magic lies in a nostalgia
that harks back to holidays past. There’s a form of comfort and familiarity resulting
from years of re-use that leads us to associate certain brands with the holiday
season and Coca-Cola has it nailed. I think we probably all know what I’m referring to
– those infamous red Christmas trucks.
COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST:
Music
Film
Pop
culture
CONVERSATION TRIGGERS:
Internet
culture
Not only is the soft drinks giant widely credited for being responsible for Santa’s red
outfit, (not technically true, but kudos to Coke for generating some pretty effective
brand association), but the sight of those fairy light strewn behemoths shuttling
through the snowy mountains has come to be a sure fire sign that the holidays are
most definitely coming!
The formula is pretty simple, a few classic festive cues and a catchy theme tune,
(never underestimate the power of a good song), but timing and repetition is
everything. The Coca-Cola trucks have been gracing our screens like clockwork
every year since 1995, becoming so firmly fixed in our minds that for many of us they
seem to be advertising Christmas itself.
However, a word of warning for marketers going for this approach: if you’re trying to
evoke the essence of Christmas with an annual old classic, releasing your ad too
early can turn it from a nostalgic nugget of festive anticipation to an annoying cliché!
SOCIAL VIDEO INSIGHT REPORT - Christmas Video Trends // October ’13
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6. CASE STUDIES: A NEW TWIST ON AN OLD TALE
Shares: 422,220 | Views: 12,250,397
SHARE-TO-VIEW RATIO = 1:29
ExcentricPT - The Digital Story of the Nativity
After banging on about the impact of repetition when it comes to driving a branded
message home, there’s still no denying that originality can be a powerful
conversation trigger.
Marketers hoping to evoke the magic of Christmas still need to include a few classic
festive cues, but adding a new twist to an old story can be a great way to give
tradition a new lease of life. That’s exactly what ExcentricPT did with its charming
Digital Story of the Nativity.
COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST:
Internet
culture
Geek
Parenting
CONVERSATION TRIGGERS:
Pop
culture
Using the tagline ‘Times change, the feeling remains the same’, the three-minute
video illustrates the contemporary birth of Jesus through social media, including the
likes of Twitter, YouTube, Wikipedia and Foursquare. With Mary using Google maps
to find the best route to Bethlehem and Joseph buying a virtual cow and a donkey on
Farmville.
It was a fresh idea that caused the ad to stand out from many of its contemporaries
and the novel approach made for a perfect viral talking point, allowing the video to
clock up over 12 million views online.
On the topic of new takes on old classics, I couldn’t end this section without giving a
mention to Irn Bru’s awesome Snowman ad. We’re going way back to 2006 but it’s
still one of the best festive pastiches we’ve ever seen!
SOCIAL VIDEO INSIGHT REPORT - Christmas Video Trends // October ’13
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7. CASE STUDIES: CHRISTMAS DINNER CLICHÉS
Shares: 2,614 | Views: 146,487
SHARE-TO-VIEW RATIO = 1:56
Morrisons - For Your Christmas
Christmas dinner is probably one of the most important parts of the festive season in
many households and every year sees a flood of Supermarket ads packed full of
turkeys, sprouts and family feasts. Unfortunately, getting the right balance between
the stresses and joys of the festive season, without becoming overly sentimental or
ticking every ad cliché in the book can be tricky.
COMMUNITIES OF INTEREST:
Parenting
General
CONVERSATION TRIGGERS:
Morrisons produced one of the stand out campaigns last year with its delicate
portrayal of a family negotiating the emotional upheaval of the holidays and battling
through the festive dinner preparations. We watch as dad struggles with a dying
Christmas tree and mum wrestles a giant turkey, sprouting new arms to peel through
a mountain of vegetables as family and friends pile into the house.
Yes, mum ends up exhausted. But is it all worth it? ‘I wouldn’t have it any other way,’
she says, with a faint smile. It treads a pretty fine line, but the generous dollop of
gentle humour and feel good ending paints a picture of a family Christmas that we
can all identify with.
The ad managed to dodge the criticism leveled at Asda’s 2012 Christmas campaign,
which came under attack on social media, for going one step too far with the sexist
clichés.
SOCIAL VIDEO INSIGHT REPORT - Christmas Video Trends // October ’13
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8. UGC TRENDS: CHRISTMAS VIDEOS
Key UGC observations
What can brands learn from the success of home made festive video hits?
YouTube has become a veritable mirror for the fascinations of the
internet and advertisers can learn a LOT by paying attention to
what’s going viral in the UGC sphere. Every Christmas we see a
flood of home made festive videos take the web by storm - from
crazy fairy-light displays; to singing animals; hilarious gift reactions;
and awesome holiday jingles.
As part of our regular video insight series, we used TubeRank to
break down the key conversation triggers of some of the most
popular Christmas themed UGC clips of recent years, to help
marketers get a better grip on festive trends when planning their
seasonal ad campaign.
SOCIAL VIDEO INSIGHT REPORT - Christmas Video Trends // October ’13
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9. KEY CONVERSATION TRIGGERS - (EPIC LIGHT SHOWS)
Lights, Camera, ACTION!
The days when Christmas lights were simply something you strung
around your tree are long gone and elaborate festive displays have
now become something of a fine art.
Videos featuring illuminated suburban houses and perfectly curated
musical lighting shows date back to the very beginning of YouTube,
with literally hundreds of clips being uploaded to the site every year.
They don’t all go viral, but those that do can easily clock up a couple
of million views in a few days.
If you’re hoping to make your video stand out from the crowd there
are a few things worth bearing in mind, but being epic is an excellent
starting point. When it comes to Christmas displays, bigger is
definitely better! The internet wants more lights, more music, more
EVERYTHING! The videos that have gone particularly viral are those
with strong conversation triggers, something a little bit different that
gives people a reason to talk about and share it.
SOCIAL VIDEO INSIGHT REPORT - Christmas Video Trends // October ’13
Source Flickr: Davidvega
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10. KEY CONVERSATION TRIGGERS - (EPIC LIGHT SHOWS)
Video
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Viral Stats
Conversation Triggers
Christmas Lights Gangnam Style
Views - 3,684,458 | Shares - 152,184
SHARE-TO-VIEW RATIO = 1:24
Angry Birds Christmas Light Game
Views - 2,251,241 | Shares - 21,939
SHARE-TO-VIEW RATIO = 1:106
There’s a Problem With Brighton’s Xmas Lights
Views - 2,376,022 | Shares - 82,116
SHARE-TO-VIEW RATIO = 1:29
The Amazing Grace Christmas House
Views - 31,228,480 | Shares - 116,996
SOCIAL VIDEO INSIGHT REPORT - Christmas Video Trends // October ’13
SHARE-TO-VIEW RATIO = 1:267
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11. KEY CONVERSATION TRIGGERS - (THE POWER OF CUTE)
Fluffy Festivities!
The internet hardly needs an excuse to revel in the joys of fluffy
animal cuteness. But throwing a couple of kittens or puppies into
your festive campaign can be exactly what it takes to give it an extra
viral kick. The Kawaii factor is a pretty powerful conversation trigger
all by itself, but combined with the added topicality of yuletide
gladness at a time when people are particularly keen to share
Christmas themed videos, it can be a winning combination.
If you can set your video to a good tune and convince your furry
friend to give the world a little sing song, you’ll be guaranteed extra
bonus points. But it doesn’t have to be complicated, last year we
saw Puppy’s First Christmas garner nearly 6 million views in a few
days. Why? Well, the puppy was really, REALLY cute, but add in a
little festive music and a sweet Christmassy backdrop and hey
presto – the feel-good factor is well and truly in the bag!
SOCIAL VIDEO INSIGHT REPORT - Christmas Video Trends // October ’13
Source Flickr: Joshunter
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12. KEY CONVERSATION TRIGGERS - (THE POWER OF CUTE)
Video
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Viral Stats
Conversation Triggers
Animals of YouTube sing "Deck the Halls"
Views - 10,335,218 | Shares - 258,135
SHARE-TO-VIEW RATIO = 1:40
Puppy's First Christmas
Views - 6,099,104 | Shares - 403,578
SHARE-TO-VIEW RATIO = 1:151
How To Wrap A Cat For Christmas
Views - 7,466,518 | Shares - 341,104
SHARE-TO-VIEW RATIO = 1:22
Puppy Christmas
Views - 4,249,643 | Shares - 168,937
SOCIAL VIDEO INSIGHT REPORT - Christmas Video Trends // October ’13
SHARE-TO-VIEW RATIO = 1:25
PAGE 9

13. KEY CONVERSATION TRIGGERS - (CHRISTMAS PRESENTS)
Xmas Gift #Wins and #Fails!
I’d like to say that the spirit of Christmas is all about celebrating the
birth of Jesus and the joys of family, but the giving and receiving of
gifts is also a massive part of the holiday season.
The emotional responses generated by Christmas present wins
and fails can be a pretty awesome source of viral gold. Every year
sees a flood of YouTubers uploading the reactions of family and
friends as they tear off that gaudy paper to revel what exciting /
disappointing surprise lies underneath.
Source Flickr: Allerleirau
SOCIAL VIDEO INSIGHT REPORT - Christmas Video Trends // October ’13
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14. KEY CONVERSATION TRIGGERS - (CHRISTMAS PRESENTS)
Video
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Viral Stats
Conversation Triggers
Dad's Reaction To Getting A Ticket To The Game
Views - 9,877,228 | Shares - 33,507
SHARE-TO-VIEW RATIO = 1:294
BOOKS FOR CHRISTMAS!?!?!?!
Views - 3,510,453 | Shares - 56,733
SHARE-TO-VIEW RATIO = 1:162
WTF?! I Wanted An iPhone!!!
Views - 547,454 | Shares - 11,442
SHARE-TO-VIEW RATIO = 1:48
I DONT LIKE THE CUBS!!!
SOCIAL VIDEO INSIGHT REPORT - Christmas Video Trends // October ’13
Views - 1,358,561 | Shares - 3,649
SHARE-TO-VIEW RATIO = 1:372
PAGE 11

15. KEY CONVERSATION TRIGGERS - (FESTIVE TUNES)
A Very Merry Sing Song!
Finally, if there is one ultimate magical ingredient to Christmas
video success, it has to be music.
The power of a good song is universal no matter what the season,
but with Christmas being a period so closely tied to a tradition of
festive caroling and holiday songs, a good tune is an incredibly
powerful conversation trigger.
We’ve seen pop songs mashed up with a festive twist, dancing
pensioners, comedy musical sketches and Christmas raps. But
the all time king of festive music videos has to be the Christmas
flash mob!
Source Flickr: Richard Bloomfield
SOCIAL VIDEO INSIGHT REPORT - Christmas Video Trends // October ’13
PAGE 12

16. KEY CONVERSATION TRIGGERS - (FESTIVE TUNES)
Video
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Viral Stats
Conversation Triggers
Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus
Views - 42,323,050 | Shares - 885,169
SHARE-TO-VIEW RATIO = 1:48
My 90-year-old Grandma Dances to LMFAO
Views - 2,379,493 | Shares - 76,620
SHARE-TO-VIEW RATIO = 1:31
The Key of Awesome! : Santa and I Know It!
Views - 15,204,521 | Shares - 277,830
SHARE-TO-VIEW RATIO = 1:55
Christmas Sweatz
Views - 2,970,678 | Shares - 40,009
SOCIAL VIDEO INSIGHT REPORT - Christmas Video Trends // October ’13
SHARE-TO-VIEW RATIO = 1:74
PAGE 13

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SOCIAL VIDEO INSIGHT REPORT - Food & Confectionary // October ’13
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